William Freeman,
Gregory Bowling and Donna Miles are dressed in character for the
Renaissance Feast.

Jim
Hannon/Timesdaily

Hear, hear lords and
ladies on both sides of the river: Events leading up to the 2008
Alabama Renaissance Faire will soon begin.This year, new activities are on
the pre-festival schedule along with traditions such as the Renaissance
feast and costume-making workshop.The faire, to be held on Oct.
25-26 at Wilson Park in Florence, will feature local and national
merchants, artists, belly dancing, theater and Renaissance refreshments
such as fried turkey legs.At 2 p.m. on Sunday, the
Renaissance Month Medieval Film Series starts at the
Florence-Lauderdale Public Library conference room with two episodes of
the 1980s British TV series "Robin of Sherwood." The series will
continue each Sunday at the same time featuring films "Ladyhawke and
"Excalibur."Peasants and aristocrats alike
will gather at the Kennedy-Douglas Center for the Arts 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on
Oct. 11 for a costume-making workshop. Participants need to supply
their own embellishments and fabric with a width of at least 60 inches
and length of 3 1/2 yards to make a tunic.The idea is that the tunic is an
inexpensive alternative to pricey, handmade costumes showcased at
Wilson Park. A little medieval mud or dirt won't mar them. The park is
a parade of costumes. "That's where people pull all the stops," said
Donna Miles, costume and entertainment coordinator for the faire."You'll find every kind of
costume. That's where you see heavy velvets and jewels."A night with entertainment by
Roundtable members on the new riverboat, the Pickwick Belle, will take
place Oct. 21 from 7-9 p.m.Commoners and royalty are
invited to the feast on Oct. 18. More than 100 of the 200 tickets
available have been sold, said Billy Warren, who founded the faire in
1987. He urges those planning on attending the faire to buy tickets
soon because response from out-of-town attendees has increased."People don't have a good time
when it gets over 200. It becomes trough feeding and we are not into
that," Warren said.Tickets are available at the
Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts for $25. Jim Matterer of Gode
Cookery catering in Newark, Del. will create a menu with a Christopher
Columbus theme. All food to be prepared was discovered during Columbus'
travels.The current reign of His Majesty
King Gregory Bowling will wind down the day of the feast when the new
heir to the throne inherits a coin in his or her food. He will be
officially dethroned during the festival.In between events, Roundtable
members will go to area schools dressed in their heavy skirts, leather
boots and tights to educate students about medieval customs, lifestyle
and dance. Students expressed their Renaissance voice in art and sonnet
contests to be exhibited at the Richards Center in Florence. That's the
point of the Renaissance Festival. "I started the festival in order to
tie it to the curriculum," said Warren, curriculum director for
Florence city schools. "That's our real reason for being is education."